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Does a creative linkup or partnership really give a brand an edge over the competition, or is it just a quick fix to fuel publicity?
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Traditionally, brand owners only directly targeted women in the sectors in which they knew they were interested. With women not just earning more but having more of a say in all the major household and lifestyle purchasing decisions, brands from every sector need to meet the needs, wants and desires of women. So, what do women want? And, are we really giving them what they want?
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Now, more than ever before, placing emphasis on design can be seen as an investment in a healthy brand and business future. It is design that is the single most tangible interface between anything man-made and the people who use it.
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Creativity has no boundaries, yet in the creative industry we think of ourselves as operating in separate disciplines—design, advertising, promotion, interactive. However,
today, more than ever before, our clients need work that creates a deep lasting impact.
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More than ever, our lives are physically enhanced these days. Our bodies are cosmetically enhanced, our food is functionally enhanced, our homes are technically enhanced and our communication is digitally enhanced. It’s all about perfection.
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Many brands claim to be iconic … or want to be. But “iconic” brands are often automatically confused with iconic design. The two are different, but if connected, can create enormous long-term desire.
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We crave the new, but want to be able to cut through the clutter and simplify our lives. Design, of course, plays a massive role in doing both these things. But when it comes to innovation, creation of the “really new” is rare.
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What can brands learn from the natural world to be more empathetic to our needs? Could design help brands marry the best of nature and technology to create successful future brand innovations?
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Rather than letting fear control us, we need to look at how—by taking risks and embracing fear—we can develop our creativity and through design help brands successfully move into the future.
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Brands need to use honest communication to show real integrity and meaning. But does integrity and meaning also ‘say’ desirability?
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In this ever-changing uptime-downtime environment, brands needs to consider the implications of the merging of work and play not just in terms of the design of their product offerings, but also the entirety of their overall brand message.
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May/June 2006 V22N3
To test out the idea of “Thinking Wrong,” the partners at C2 (who worked closely with STEP editor Emily Potts to develop content for the May/June issue) enlisted designers David Salanitro, DJ Stout, and Clive Piercy to engage in thinking wrong exercises to design STEP’s cover—C2 designers also participated in the experiment.
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PACA (Picture Archive Council of America) held its 2006 Annual Member meeting in Chicago, April 6-8. The meeting kicked off Friday morning with a lively discussion on the current trends in the stock photo industry.
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Traditional forms of communication are breaking down as consumers continue to shy away from mass marketing and homogenous targeting. It's time to find new, more innovative and integrated ways to honestly and personally connect with the consumer as an individual.
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March/April 2006 V22N2
The authors of Be A Design Group contacted STEP editor Emily Potts in early December with an unusual proposal. They wanted to design the cover of an upcoming issue of STEP and do it in front of their readers.
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Jan/Feb 2006 V22N1
Gina Triplett created the striking illustration for the January/February 2006 cover of STEP inside design. Here she explains the process from concept to finish.
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Why cross-generational marketing may be the next big thing.
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How the growth of tribes and communities is governing the new order of marketing.
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Nov/Dec 2005 V21N6
We were thrilled when Emily Potts asked us to do the cover of the November/December issue of STEP devoted to women. First, because we are women. Second, because we like women. Third, because we thought it would be fun. And finally, because we like the idea of doing the cover as well as the back page of the same magazine.
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Nov/Dec 2005 V21N6
Jami Anderson of jamidesign in Nashville doesn't rely on standard interview questions to get a feel for her clients' dream guitar designs.
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Nov/Dec 2005 V21N6
STEP editor Emily Potts had the privilege of asking some top women designers about their experiences of owning their own businesses, their drive to be successful, and how they balance the chaos of running a design studio with their home/family lives. Here are outtakes from the interview that appears in the Nov/Dec 2005 issue of STEP.
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Sept/Oct 2005 V21N5
There’s nothing like a little pressure—a STEP cover design for an issue to be distributed at the AIGA National Conference in Boston this September—to fuel some passionate…well…anxiety and designer’s block.
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Sept/Oct 2005 V21N5
Hillman Curtis documents his design heroes in a mini-documentary series. Check out exclusive behind-the-scenes footage shot especially for STEP inside design.
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Sept/Oct 2005 V21N5
STEP inside design is pleased to introduce the 50 winning websites featured in STEP's first Best of Web Design Annual. Here are links to the winning sites!
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WEB-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT!
